Data session authentication credentials update for a wireless communication device

ABSTRACT

A method ( 200 ) and an apparatus ( 300 ) in a wireless portable communication device ( 102 ) for maintaining appropriate authentication credentials required for a common data application in a current service network are provided. A method ( 400 ) in a wireless communication network ( 106 ) for providing current authentication credentials required for the common data application accessible through the wireless communication network ( 106 ) is also provided. The wireless portable communication device ( 102 ) has default authentication credentials required for the common data application in a default service network ( 106 ), receives ( 204 ) a data session configuration file including authentication credentials based upon a predetermined condition, prioritizes ( 206 ) between the default authentication credentials and the received authentication credentials, and uses ( 208 ) the authentication credentials having higher priority for the common data application in the current service network ( 110 ). The wireless communication network ( 106 ) maintains ( 404 ) the current authentication credentials indicative of currently required authentication credentials for the common data application, detects ( 406 ) a predetermined condition for transmitting the data session configuration file, and transmits ( 408 ) the data session configuration file having the current authentication credentials. Upon receiving ( 410 ), the wireless communication network ( 106 ) allows ( 412 ) proper access to the common data application upon receiving the current authentication credentials.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to data service portabilitybetween wireless operators for a wireless communication device, and morespecifically to dynamically updating data session authenticationcredentials of the wireless communication device as applicable tovarious wireless operators.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a typical wireless portable communication device, a common dataapplication using a common data service available across multiplewireless operator's networks, such as BlackBerry™, instant messaging(“IM”), multimedia messaging service (“MMS”), and/or push-to-talk overcellular (“PoC”) available on Internet and/or a private network, isloaded at the manufacturer. Such wireless portable communication devicesare shipped to multiple wireless service operators who require the useof different data authentication credentials for the common dataapplication. For example, in a Code-Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”)2000 1x Radio Transmission Technology (“1xRTT”) network, where 1x refersto a single radio channel, for a third generation (“3G”) mobile system,a network access identifier (“NAI”) is used for a point-to-pointprotocol (“PPP”), and in a General Packet Radio Service (“GPRS”), anaccess point name (“APN”) is used for a packet data protocol (“PDP”)contexts.

For a particular wireless service operator, a specific dataauthentication is generally hard-coded into the wireless portablecommunications devices allocated for the particular wireless serviceoperator as an operator customization. This method is the acceptedpractice in the industry, as it is highly desirable from a user'sperspective, and obviates any need for the user to maintain knowledge ofdata authentication credentials. For example, an APN specifying awireless bearer path for e-mail over one wireless service operator wouldbe different from an APN for e-mail over another wireless serviceoperator regardless of the fact that these wireless service operatorsmay use the same server on the Internet. With local number portabilitylaws in certain jurisdictions, such as those in the United States andEuropean Union, subscribers are now allowed to switch wireless carrierswhile retaining the same telephone numbers in some circumstances.Generally, the local number portability relates to subscriberidentification module (“SIM”) lock for Global System for Mobilecommunications (“GSM”) and GPRS networks, or Mobile Directory Number(“MDN”) access as compared to International Mobile Subscriber Identity(“IMSI”) in CDMA networks. However, with the prevalence of data centricwireless portable communication devices, some subscribers may wish notonly to retain the current telephone numbers with a new wireless serviceprovider, but also to continue using the same wireless portablecommunication devices and its data applications with the new wirelesscommunication service provider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary environment in which a wireless portablecommunication device in accordance with at least one of the preferredembodiments may be practiced;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a process in the wirelessportable communication device for maintaining up-to-date authorizationcredentials for accessing the common data application in accordance withat least one of the preferred embodiments;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram of the wireless portablecommunication device configured to maintain appropriate authenticationcredentials required for the common data application in the currentservice network in accordance with at least one of the preferredembodiments; and

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating a process in the wirelesscommunication network for providing current authentication credentialsrequired for the common data application accessible through the wirelesscommunication network in accordance with at least one of the preferredembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A wireless portable communication device receives an up-to-dateauthentication credentials required for a common data application in awireless communication network in which the wireless portablecommunication device is currently registered. The up-to-dateauthentication credentials may include a list of a plurality of wirelesscommunication networks mapped against the up-to-date authenticationcredentials. The wireless portable communication device may receive theup-to-date authentication credentials periodically at a predeterminedinterval, based upon a predetermined condition, or by requesting theup-to-date authentication credentials. The up-to-date authenticationcredentials are then prioritized over existing authenticationcredentials, and are used for the common data application in thewireless communication network in which the wireless portablecommunication device is currently registered. The wireless communicationnetwork, which requires authentication credentials for the common dataapplication, keeps the required authentication credentials up to date,and transmits the up-to-date authorization credentials periodically at apredetermined interval, based upon a predetermined condition, or inresponse to receiving a request for the up-to-date authenticationcredentials. The wireless communication network allows the wirelessportable communication device having the up-to-date authenticationcredentials a use of the common data application.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary environment 100 in which a wireless portablecommunication device 102 in accordance with at least one of thepreferred embodiments may be practiced. The wireless portablecommunication device 102 is presently shown to be located in a firstcoverage area 104 supported by a first wireless communication network106, which is adjacent to a second coverage area 108 supported by asecond wireless communication network 110. The wireless portablecommunication device 102 has default authentication credentials for acommon data application such as an e-mail application, which ismaintained in a common service 112, accessed through the first wirelesscommunication network 106. While the wireless portable communicationdevice 102 is within the first coverage area 104 and is registered tothe first wireless communication network 106, the wireless portablecommunication device 102, having the default authentication credentialsfully compatible with the first wireless communication network 106,properly accesses the common data application. However, as the wirelessportable communication device 102 moves from the first coverage area 104to the second coverage area 108 and re-registers to the second wirelesscommunication network 110, the default authentication credentials of thewireless portable communication device 102 may not be compatible toaccess the common data application in the second wireless communicationnetwork 110. For an exemplary case where the user is permanentlychanging his subscription to the operator of the wireless communicationnetwork 110, the wireless portable communication device 102 thereforeneeds to able to update the default authentication credentials to newauthentication credentials that are compatible in the second wirelesscommunication network 110 before being able to properly access thecommon data application. Further, the first wireless communicationnetwork 106 may change the default authentication credentials from timeto time, and may cause the wireless portable communication device 102 tofail to access the common data application properly. Therefore, thewireless portable communication device 102 needs to be able to maintainup-to-date authentication credentials.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary flowchart 200 illustrating a process in thewireless portable communication device 102 for maintaining up-to-dateauthorization credentials for accessing the common data application inaccordance with at least one of the preferred embodiments. The wirelessportable communication device 102 has default authentication credentialsrequired for the common data application in a default service network,which is the first wireless communication network 106. The processbegins in block 202, and the wireless portable communication device 102receives a data session configuration file, which includesauthentication credentials in block 204. The wireless portablecommunication device 102 may typically receive the data sessionconfiguration file wirelessly from the current wireless communicationnetwork, but it may alternatively receive the data session configurationfile by downloading from the internet. The data session configurationfile may further include a list of a plurality of service networksmapped against the received authentication credentials for use with thecommon data application. This plurality applies as the usersubscriptions to a plurality of wireless network operators change. Thewireless portable communication device 102 may receive the data sessionconfiguration file based upon various conditions. The wireless portablecommunication device 102 may transmit a request to receive the datasession configuration file, or may receive the data sessionconfiguration file based upon a predetermined condition. For example,the wireless portable communication device 102 may receive the datasession configuration file upon registering to the current servicenetwork using a common registration channel, upon failing to properlyaccess the common data application in the current service network, orupon roaming from the default service network to the current servicenetwork. The wireless portable communication device 102 may alsoautonomously receive the data session configuration file periodically.

The wireless portable communication device 102 may further determine thecompatibility associated with the wireless portable communication device102, a subscriber identity module in the wireless portable communicationdevice 102, and the current wireless communication network, and mayreceive the data session configuration file based upon thecompatibility. The subscriber identity module may be one of a SubscriberIdentity Module (“SIM”) used in networks based upon Global System forMobile Communications (“GSM”), a Removable User Identification Module(“R-UIM”) used in networks based upon Code Division Multiple Access(“CDMA”), or any other similar subscriber identification module.

In block 206, the wireless portable communication device 102 prioritizesthe authentication credentials between the default authenticationcredentials and the received authentication credentials. For example, aspreviously shown in FIG. 1, when the wireless portable communicationdevice 102 receives new authentication credentials as a result of movingfrom the first wireless communication network 106 to the second wirelesscommunication network 110 requiring the new authorization credentials toaccess the common data application, the new received authorizationcredentials are prioritized over the default authorization credentials.Once prioritized, the default authentication credentials may beoverwritten with the received authentication credentials, making thereceived authentication credentials as new default authenticationcredentials. Alternatively, both the default authentication credentialsand the received authentication credentials are stored in the wirelessportable communication device 102, and may be available for later usage.In block 208, the wireless portable communication device 102 uses theauthentication credentials having higher priority for the common dataapplication in the current service network. The authorizationcredentials may be re-prioritized when the wireless portablecommunication device 102 moves back to the first wireless communicationnetwork 106. The process then ends in block 210.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary block diagram 300 of the wireless portablecommunication device 102 configured to maintain appropriateauthentication credentials required for the common data application inthe current service network in accordance with at least one of thepreferred embodiments. A battery, a display, a keypad, a speaker, amicrophone, an antenna, and other normally associated components areunderstood to be present but are not specifically shown with thewireless portable communication device 102 for simplicity. The wirelessportable communication device 102 has in memory 302 defaultauthentication credentials, which are required for the common dataapplication in a default service network, such as the first wirelesscommunication network 104. The wireless portable communication device102 has a configuration file receiver 304, which is configured toreceive a data session configuration file. The data sessionconfiguration file includes authentication credentials, and may furtherinclude a list of a plurality of service network mapped against thereceived authentication credentials for use with the common dataapplication. A prioritization module 306 is coupled to the configurationfile receiver 304 and to the memory 302, and is configured to prioritizebetween the default authentication credentials and the receivedauthentication credentials. A credential selector 308 is coupled to theprioritization module 306, and is configured to select theauthentication credentials having higher priority for the common dataapplication in the current service provider. A credential transmitter310 is coupled to the credential selector 308, and is configured totransmit the selected authorization credentials for the common dataapplication in the current service network. The wireless portablecommunication device 102 may further have a request transmitter 312,which is coupled to the configuration file receiver 304 and isconfigured to transmit a request to receive the data sessionconfiguration file. The memory 302 may be further coupled to thecredential selector 308, and be further configured to be overwrittenwith the authentication credentials selected by the credential selector308. The memory 302 may comprise volatile and non-volatile memorymodules, having the default authentication credentials programmed in thenon-volatile memory module and having the received authenticationcredentials in the volatile memory module.

The wireless portable communication device 102, specifically theconfiguration file receiver 304, may be further configured to receivethe data session configuration file based upon various predeterminedconditions. For example, the configuration file receiver 304 may beconfigured to receive the data session configuration file uponregistration of the wireless portable communication device 102 to thecurrent service provider using a common registration channel, uponfailure of the wireless portable communication device 102 to properlyaccess the common data application in the current service provider, orupon the wireless portable communication device 102 roaming from thedefault service network to the current service network. Theconfiguration file receiver 304 may be further configured toautonomously receive the data session configuration periodically.Further, the bearer path may be entirely independent from the wirelessnetwork for receipt of the configuration file, for example, it may bedownloaded off of the internet to the wireless portable communicationdevice 102.

The wireless portable communication device 102 may further comprise asubscriber identity module 314 such as a Subscriber Identity Module(“SIM”) used in networks based upon Global System for MobileCommunications (“GSM”) and a Removable User Identification Module(“R-UIM”) used in networks based upon Code Division Multiple Access(“CDMA”) or via the service programming implemented directly on thewireless portable communication device 102 where no R-UIM is present.The subscriber identity module 314 is coupled to the credential selector308, and is configured to provide information to the current servicenetwork, such as the first wireless communication network 106 regardingthe identity of a subscriber and associated services. Although typicallya wireless portable communication device and its subscriber identitymodule are associated with the same wireless communication networkprovider, because the subscriber identity module is fully or partiallycompatible with similar wireless portable communication devices, thesubscriber identity module associated with one wireless communicationservice provider may be used with a wireless portable communicationdevice associated with another wireless communication service provider.Further, as a result of roaming or user subscription changes to otheroperators, such a combination of the wireless portable communicationdevice and the subscriber identity module may register and operate inyet another wireless communication service provider's network. Theconfiguration file receiver 304 may further be configured receive thedata session configuration file based upon the compatibility among thewireless portable communication device 102, the subscriber identitymodule 314, and the current wireless communication network.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart 400 illustrating a process in thewireless communication network 106 for providing current authenticationcredentials required for the common data application accessible throughthe wireless communication network 106 in accordance with at least oneof the preferred embodiments. The first wireless communication network106 is simply referred as the wireless communication network 106 forthis illustration. The process begins in block 402, and the wirelesscommunication network 106 maintains the current, or up-to-date,authentication credentials indicative of currently requiredauthentication credentials for the common data application in block 404.The wireless communication network 106 may maintain the currentauthentication credentials in various ways including, but not limitedto, acquiring the current authentication credentials by communicatingwith common data service 112 periodically, and receiving the currentauthentication credentials from the common data service 112 as they areupdated. The wireless communication network 106 then detects apredetermined condition for transmitting a data session configurationfile in block 406. Alternatively, the common data service 112 may detectthe predetermined condition through the wireless communication network106. The data session configuration file includes the currentauthentication credentials, and may further include a list of aplurality of wireless communication networks mapped against theappropriate authentication credentials for use with the common dataapplication. The predetermined condition to be detected in block 406 fortransmitting the data session configuration may be one of variouspredetermined conditions including, but not limited to, receiving arequest for the data session configuration file, receiving aregistration of a wireless portable communication device using a commonregistration channel, determining a registered wireless portablecommunication device failing to properly access the common dataapplication, and reaching a predetermined periodic transmission timeinterval. As one of the predetermined conditions, the wirelesscommunication network 106, or the common data service 112, may furtherdetermine the compatibility associated with a wireless portablecommunication device registered in the wireless communication network106, such as the wireless portable communication device 102, asubscriber identity module in the wireless portable communication device102, and the wireless communication network 106 itself. The subscriberidentity module may be one of a Subscriber Identity Module (“SIM”) usedin networks based upon Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”),a Removable User Identification Module (“R-UIM”) used in networks basedupon Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”), or any other similarsubscriber identification module.

Upon detecting one of the predetermined conditions in block 406, thewireless communication network 106, or the common data service 112,transmits the data session configuration file in block 408, generallyonly to the wireless portable communication device 102, which triggeredthe predetermined condition detection process. Alternatively, thewireless communication network 106, or the common data service 112, maybroadcast the data session configuration file periodically to allwireless portable communication devices currently registered to thewireless communication network 106. Upon receiving the currentauthentication credentials from the wireless portable communicationdevice 102 in block 410, the wireless communication network 106 allowsthe wireless portable communication device 102 proper access to thecommon data application in block 412. The process then terminates inblock 414.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustratedand described, it is to be understood that the invention is not solimited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions andequivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by theappended claims.

1. A method in a wireless portable communication device for use inmaintaining appropriate authentication credentials for accessing acommon data application maintained in a common service network forreceiving a messaging service, the wireless portable communicationdevice having default authentication credentials for submission whenestablishing, via a default cellular network, data connectivity foraccessing the common data application maintained in the common servicenetwork for receiving the messaging service via the default cellularnetwork, the method comprising the acts of: in response to a change insubscription for the wireless portable communication device from thedefault cellular network to a current cellular network: receiving, viathe current cellular network, a data session configuration fileincluding authentication credentials for submission when establishing,via the current cellular network, data connectivity for accessing thecommon data application maintained in the common service network;prioritizing between the default authentication credentials and thereceived authentication credentials; and using the receivedauthentication credentials corresponding to the current cellular networkfor submission when establishing, via the current cellular network, thedata connectivity for accessing the common data application maintainedin the common service network for receiving the messaging service viathe current cellular network.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the datasession configuration file further includes a list of a plurality ofcommunication networks mapped against the received authenticationcredentials for use with the common data application maintained in thecommon service network.
 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:transmitting a request to receive the data session configuration filebefore receiving the data session configuration file.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: overwriting the default authenticationcredentials with the received authentication credentials afterprioritizing between the default authentication credentials and thereceived authentication credentials.
 5. The method of claim 4 furthercomprising: making the received authentication credentials as newdefault authentication credentials.
 6. The method of claim 1, whereinreceiving the data session configuration file includes receiving thedata session configuration file upon registering the wireless portablecommunication device to the current cellular network using a commonregistration channel.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving thedata session configuration file includes receiving the data sessionconfiguration file upon failing to properly access the common dataapplication maintained in the common service network via the currentcellular network.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the datasession configuration file includes autonomously receiving the datasession configuration file periodically.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein receiving the data session configuration file includes receivingthe data session configuration file upon roaming from the defaultcellular network to the current cellular network.
 10. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the common data application comprises an e-mailapplication for a messaging service comprising an e-mail messageservice.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the authenticationcredentials comprise an access point name (APN) and the dataconnectivity comprises a packet data protocol (PDP) context.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the authentication credentials comprise anetwork access identifier (NAI) and the data connectivity comprises apoint-to-point protocol (PPP) session.
 13. A wireless portablecommunication device configured to maintain appropriate authenticationcredentials for accessing a common data application maintained in acommon service network for receiving a messaging service, the wirelessportable communication device having default authentication credentialsstored in memory, the default authentication credentials for submissionwhen establishing, via a default cellular network, data connectivity foraccessing the common data application maintained in the common servicenetwork for receiving the messaging service via the default cellularnetwork, the wireless portable communication device comprising: aconfiguration file receiver configured to receive a data sessionconfiguration file including authentication credentials based on achange in subscription from the default cellular network to a currentcellular network, the received authenticated credentials for submissionwhen establishing, via the current cellular network, data connectivityfor accessing the common data application maintained in the commonservice network; a prioritization module coupled to the configurationfile receiver and to the memory, the prioritization module configured toprioritize between the default authentication credentials and thereceived authentication credentials; a credential selector coupled tothe prioritization module, the credential selector configured to selectthe received authentication credentials corresponding to the currentcellular network for accessing the common data application maintained inthe common service network; and a credential transmitter coupled to thecredential selector, the credential transmitter configured to transmitthe selected authorization credentials when establishing, via thecurrent cellular network, data connectivity for accessing the commondata application maintained in the common service network for receivingthe messaging service via the current cellular network.
 14. The wirelessportable communication device of claim 13, wherein the data sessionconfiguration file further includes a list of a plurality of cellularnetworks mapped against the received authentication credentials for usewith the common data application maintained in the common servicenetwork.
 15. The wireless portable communication device of claim 13further comprising: a request transmitter coupled to the configurationfile receiver, the request transmitter configured to transmit a requestto receive the data session configuration file.
 16. The wirelessportable communication device of claim 13, wherein the authenticationcredentials comprise an access point name (APN) and the dataconnectivity comprises a packet data protocol (PDP) context.
 17. Thewireless portable communication device of claim 13, wherein theconfiguration file receiver is further configured to receive the datasession configuration file upon registration of the wireless portablecommunication device to the current cellular network using a commonregistration channel.
 18. The wireless portable communication device ofclaim 13, wherein the configuration file receiver is further configuredto receive the data session configuration file upon failure of thewireless portable communication device to properly access the commondata application maintained in the common service network via thecurrent cellular network.
 19. The wireless portable communication deviceof claim 13, wherein the configuration file receiver is furtherconfigured to autonomously receive the data session configurationperiodically.
 20. The wireless portable communication device of claim13, wherein the configuration file receiver is further configured toreceive the data session configuration file upon the wireless portablecommunication device roaming from the default cellular network to thecurrent cellular network.
 21. The wireless portable communication deviceof claim 13, wherein authentication credentials comprise a networkaccess identifier (NAI) and the data connectivity comprises apoint-to-point protocol (PPP) session.
 22. The wireless portablecommunication device of claim 13, wherein the configuration filereceiver is further configured to receive the data session configurationfile upon a determination that a subscriber identity module used in thewireless portable communication device is associated with a differentcellular network from at least one of: a cellular network associatedwith the wireless portable communication device, and the currentcellular network.
 23. The wireless portable communication device ofclaim 22, wherein the subscriber identity module is at least one of: aSubscriber Identity Module used in networks based upon Global System forMobile Communications, and a Removable User Identification Module usedin networks based upon Code Division Multiple Access.
 24. A method in acellular network for use in providing appropriate authenticationcredentials required for submission by a wireless portable communicationdevice when it establishes, via the cellular network, data connectivityfor accessing a common data application maintained in a common servicenetwork adapted to provide a messaging service, the wireless portablecommunication device having default authentication credentials requiredfor submission when it establishes, via a default cellular network, dataconnectivity for accessing the common data application maintained in thecommon service network for receiving the messaging service via thedefault cellular network, the method comprising the acts of: maintainingcurrent authentication credentials required for submission by thewireless portable communication device when it establishes, via thecellular network, data connectivity for accessing the common dataapplication maintained in the common service network; detecting apredetermined condition which is based on a change in subscription forthe wireless portable communication device from the default cellularnetwork to the cellular network; transmitting a data sessionconfiguration file having the current authentication credentials inresponse to detecting the predetermined condition; and allowing properaccess to the common data application maintained in the common servicenetwork for providing the messaging service to the wireless portablecommunication device via the cellular network upon receiving the currentauthentication credentials from the wireless portable communicationdevice when the data connectivity is established via the cellularnetwork.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein maintaining the currentauthentication credentials indicative of currently authenticationcredentials for the common data application includes receiving thecurrently authentication credentials for the common data applicationfrom the common service network.
 26. The method of claim 24, whereindetecting a predetermined condition for transmitting a data sessionconfiguration file includes detecting the predetermined condition by thecommon data service network.
 27. The method of claim 24, wherein thedata session configuration file further includes a list of a pluralityof cellular networks mapped against the appropriate authenticationcredentials for use with the common data application maintained in thecommon service network.
 28. The method of claim 24, wherein thepredetermined condition for transmitting the data session configurationfile includes: receiving a request for the data session configurationfile.
 29. The method of claim 24, wherein the predetermined conditionfor transmitting the data session configuration file includes: receivinga registration of the wireless portable communication device using acommon registration channel.
 30. The method of claim 24, wherein thepredetermined condition for transmitting the data session configurationfile includes: determining the wireless portable communication devicefailing to properly access the common data application maintained in thecommon service network.
 31. The method of claim 24, wherein thepredetermined condition for transmitting the data session configurationfile includes: reaching a predetermined periodic transmission timeinterval.
 32. The method of claim 31, wherein transmitting the datasession configuration file includes: broadcasting the data sessionconfiguration file.
 33. The method of claim 24, wherein the currentauthentication credentials comprise an access point name (APN) and thedata connectivity comprises a packet data protocol (PDP) context. 34.The method of claim 24, wherein the common data application comprises ane-mail application and the messaging service comprises an e-mailservice.
 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the act of detecting thepredetermined condition is based on determining that a subscriberidentity module of the wireless portable communication device isassociated with the cellular network different from the default cellularnetwork.
 36. A method in a common data service network for use inproviding appropriate authentication credentials required for submissionby a wireless portable communication device when it establishes, via acurrent cellular network, data connectivity for accessing a common dataapplication maintained in the common data service network adapted toprovide a messaging service, the wireless portable communication devicehaving default authentication credentials for submission when itestablishes, via a default cellular network, data connectivity foraccessing the common data application maintained in the common servicenetwork for receiving the messaging service via the default cellularnetwork, the method comprising the acts of: maintaining currentauthentication credentials required for submission by the wirelessportable communication device when it establishes, via the currentcellular network, data connectivity for the common data applicationmaintained in the common data service network; detecting a predeterminedcondition which is based on a change in subscription for the wirelessportable communication device from the default cellular network to thecurrent cellular network; transmitting the data session configurationfile having the current authentication credentials in response todetecting the predetermined condition; and allowing proper access to thecommon data application maintained in the common data service networkfor providing the messaging service to the wireless portablecommunication device via the current cellular network upon receiving thecurrent authentication credentials from the wireless portablecommunication device when the data connectivity is established via thecurrent cellular network.
 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the datasession configuration file further includes a list of a plurality ofcellular networks mapped against the appropriate authenticationcredentials for use with the common data application.
 38. The method ofclaim 36, wherein the predetermined condition for transmitting the datasession configuration file includes: receiving a request for the datasession configuration file.
 39. The method of claim 36, wherein thepredetermined condition for transmitting the data session configurationfile includes: determining the wireless portable communication devicefailing to properly access the common data application maintained in thecommon service network.
 40. The method of claim 36, wherein thepredetermined condition for transmitting the data session configurationfile includes: reaching a predetermined periodic transmission timeinterval.
 41. The method of claim 40, wherein transmitting the datasession configuration file includes: broadcasting the data sessionconfiguration file.
 42. The method of claim 36, wherein the currentauthentication credentials comprises one of an access point name (APN)for a packet data protocol (PDP) context and a network access identifier(NAI) for a point-to-point protocol (PPP) session.